Skins
by GakuenAlicefan27
Summary: It's a collection of one-shots featuring the points of view of Caleb, Robert, Susan and Natalie during the choosing ceremony. First point of view has been posted. The next one will hopefully be posted soon.


This story is something I've been wanting to write for a while, and now I finallly have a little time to do it.

It's gonna be a collection of one-shots about different points of view during the choosing ceremony, each chapter being a different point of view. Here's the first one, and I hope I'll have the time to post the next one soon. The points of view will be: Caleb, Robert, Susan and Natalie.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Divergent Trilogy (sighs).

Hope you like it!

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_**Skins**_

**Chapter 1: Revolution Day**

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I grab Beatrice's hand, seeking reassurance that I am not standing all alone in this room even though it feels like it.

My mind is racing with a million thoughts and I'm trying my best to keep up with the calm posture I am wearing now, hoping that my hands aren't sweating so that Beatrice won't notice that something is going on.

I think of how my test went, and how I was told that I clearly belonged in Erudite. I kept thinking that all night, shocked. But worst of all, I was not shocked because it was ridiculous. I was shocked because I hadn't noticed it earlier.

All kinds of scenes played in my mind last night. Scenes of great things I had done; all related to something academic. All the compliments I always got from my teachers, my love for books, for reading, for questioning, for understanding, for knowing.

I thought about how much I could learn in Erudite, and the possibilities thrilled me to no end.

But there were pros and cons, and I still couldn't decide which path I should choose: The one everyone expected me to or the one I wanted to.

Standing in that line, it seems like the reality of the situation is finally crashing on my shoulders.

How could I do that?

I lived my whole life in Abnegation, being Abnegation, wearing Abnegation and acting Abnegation. But could it be that this was all that is was? An act?

Was I really the boy everyone thought they knew? Was I really the selfless boy that would have a brilliant future in Abnegation, but with modesty, of course?

Because if I were, then why was I jumping head on to grab the first opportunity I had to leave?

I paused my musings to watch as a kid from Dauntless transferred to Candor, his blood falling on the glass. He knew what he was doing, he knew what he was leaving, he knew what he was risking, he knew what he was losing, and, most important of all, he did not know about the future.

But he was doing it, anyway.

I remember that, two years ago, my philosophy teacher had told the class that no one really is what other people think they are. Sure, when someone thinks they know you, they might actually be right about some things, but they will never know the true you that's hidden inside. As we live, there will be people who will have determined expectations of us, specially our parents, and, afraid of disappointing them and losing their love, will end up pretending that we are who they want us to be, creating layers and layers of masks that will accompany us and maybe change without us even noticing as we go through life and meet new people.

The teacher also said that rare people are able to be themselves and take off their masks. The day they do it, they might suffer with the consequences of showing their true colors, but they will also fell free like no other because that's what they become: Free. This day, the teacher believed, would be that person's revolution day, because, for them, everything would change.

I suddenly realized how much I wanted to change.

My turn of choosing was getting near and I was now sure about what I had to do.

My name was called, and I walked up front with my decision made.

I thought about my father and how I would almost surely lose him because he would never forgive me for transferring, much less to Erudite. For an Abnegation, he could be quite selfish sometimes.

I thought about my mom, and I could not imagine what would go on in her head after she watched me change factions. I don't believe her reaction would be as bad as father's, but, who knows? She herself must have her masks as well. Everybody does.

I thought about Susan and Robert, my childhood friends. Susan and I could have had a relationship and gotten married because I am sure that she's going to choose Abnegation. But, even though I truly like her, there are things that I like more. Robert surely isn't expecting this, like everyone else, but I have a feeling that he is one that could perfectly imagine his future in another faction, pretty much like me, though I don't know if he has the guts to do it.

I thought about Beatrice, and how I was making things harder for her. I knew she wanted to transfer, I could see it in her eyes. However, I was already going to be a traitor this year, and even though Beatrice isn't very selfless, she has some little Abnegation traits and would think of how she could not leave now that I had left. She would think about our father and mother, and how they would need support. She would think about all the suffering they will probably go through, and this could affect her decision. I can only pray that she will make the right decision for her. It should not be very difficult. As I said, she isn't much selfless.

I took the knife from Marcus, pressing it against my palm to make it bleed. I inhale and exhale, ready to make a change. Then, I extend my hand and let the blood fall in the water.

I can vaguely hear indignant screams and notice that a little commotion took place, but I'm not really paying attention. My mind is going over something that I once read in my books; an old say that I even told Robert some time ago: "Those who don't move don't feel the chains that bind them."

Right now, I can feel them, but they are not grounding me like they used to do. They're breaking.

I walk to the line of the Erudite initiates, flashing a glance at the Erudite's crowd that came to the ceremony, not wanting to look at my parents' faces because even though I changed factions I still care about them and they might be looking at me with disgust.

I stop thinking about it, however, when my eyes find the ones of my old philosophy teacher. I remember vaguely that he has a younger sister my age that's choosing her faction today as well, that's why he's here. He looks at me with something akin to surprise in his eyes, and I think that my masks must have been really good because not even he could notice them until I broke them. Well, the majority of them, at least. I can't think of any other mask I might still have on but I surely must have more. That's how it is, you have far too many masks for even yourself to know all of them.

I smiled to him and mouthed the words "Revolution day". He blinked, then realized what I had said, nodded his head, and smiled as well.

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Well, here it is. The first chapter of "Skins", presenting Caleb's point of view during the choosing ceremony. I'm actually proud of it because I think it ended up being good and because I didn't expect it to be so easy to write.

So, reviews, faves and alerts would make my day, specially because this is my first multi-chaptered fanfiction even though it will just be a collection of one-shots. ^^

Thank you for reading!


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